The Distillation

“As Ayahuasca has become more and more popular with foreign tourists—and at the same time, less and less popular with the Indians themselves—we have found that pseudo-shamans have sprung up everywhere to cater for the demand."

While some argue that the commercialization of ayahuasca has bastardized the ritual, others claim that it's brought much needed attention to the region. The renewed interest in ayahuasca has fueled a cultural renaissance of sorts, as more young locals are taking interest in old, somewhat forgotten traditions. And the rise of ayahuasca retreats has brought in much-needed money to one of poorest regions in the world. Entire towns like Iquitos, in Peru, have re-built their economies on ayahuasca tourism, and Peru as a whole has proclaimed the vine a part of its cultural heritage.

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In addition to our extensive lending library located in Eugene/Springfield, we aim to direct our community to the recent news related to ethnobotanicals and other plant-based/inspired derivatives. Please support the work of these journals, publishers, and writers in their attempts to translate the ethnobotanical phenomenon for a worldwide audience.